Marlow’s Lagoon, Palmerston

June 19, 1999

A large scale, outdoor performance celebrating the Palmerston lifestyle directed by Tracks for the Palmerston City Council. Top of the Tower grew out of a previous project known as the “Arts Bath’ which were a series of forums in Palmerston that identified people involved in the arts and explored the needs of this community. The community determined that it was interested in producing a large scale, outdoor performance celebrating the Palmerston lifestyle.

Scenario/Story

There once was a pregnant mound beside a lagoon of water. The mound had not always been there but it was now. People decided to build a water tower 'up top' on top of the pregnant mound.

From the Top of the Tower the sunrise is called in. Rays of light, orange, red and yellow, shoot over the mound, bringing the day to life. Houses come into vision and dogs are taken for a walk. From the houses, children and adults get ready for the day. The children are farewelled and it's off to work for the rest of us. Fences surround houses and houses become suburbs. Each household sings its own tune and dances its own dance.

At the end of the day things slow down and night descends. The tower looks down upon the glowing town lights. Bikes zoom through the streets just before everyone goes to steep. It had been an ordinary day yet what was about to follow was an extraordinary night.

Sometime after midnight, storm clouds gather 'up top' at the Top of the Tower. Is it a cyclone about to hit? Or a volcano about to erupt? Whatever it is, fear breaks lose and people run in all directions grabbing what they can. Flashes of golden lightning and balls of fire fill the air. There is not much left of the town after the storm hits. No people, just a cloud of smoke.

From within the smoke, two eyes appear. Then a head and body become clear. A creature rises from inside the mound. What have we disturbed? The creature looks around but there is not much to see. So it simply curls up on top of the mound and goes to sleep.

Remember those children we farewelled off at the start of the day? They returned home, but instead of finding their homes and families, they found this creature curled up sleeping. Now, kids being kids, and always ready for a bit of a game, decide to wake up the creature to see if it wants to play. The creature seems quite keen on the idea. You might be thinking to yourselves, a bit late for a bunch of kids and a big long creature to be playing around. And you would be right. It was not too long before the creature and the kids get tired and very soon they all fall asleep.

The adults with the tower return to the mound to check out what is left of their town. They unexpectedly find a great big creature and all the children splattered all over the mound. They think the worst. They think this creature had eaten all their kids. So up come the fists and it looks like the biggest fight is about to break out, until someone realises that this creature is twice as big as any of them. Maybe there is a better way to deal with the creature other than a big punch up?

They have a meeting to decide what to do. They even call in the mayor for her advice. After many ideas have been thrown around someone remembers a story that a woman had sung to them. The song had said that this was a women's dreaming place. What they decide to do is send out a woman and child to befriend the creature. The creature wakes up and is happy to see the woman. The children wake up and happily show their families their new friend. A new day begins and from that day onwards the people seem to get on much better with each other.

Creative and Production Personnel

Director: Tim Newth
Designer: Joanna Barrkman
Choreographer: David McMicken
Musical Director: Airi Ingram
Production Manager: Eunice De Ramos
Production Assistant: Nim Jayawardhana
Dramatic Assistant: Joe Clements
Choreographic Assistant: Tau Ingram
Design Assistant: Anthony Johnson
Publicity and Administration: Mandy Carlton
Allyson Arjibuk Mills: Songwriter
Technical Manager: Roderick Mackenzie
Technical Site Manager: Andrew Dudley
Lighting Designer: Neil Macknight
Audio Operator: Colin Simpson
Follow Spot Support: Toby Robinson, Bruce Bentley, Steve Wilkin, Mark Kerr

Performers

Palmerston Ballet School: Aerin Langworthy, Amy Thompson, Ashley Buda, Brendan Rudd, Carly Greig, Danarose Dizon, Leonie Fowler, Miranda Edwards, Rock Loft, Sheree Higgins, Sue Elisa Erickson

Durack Primary School: Aaron Gordon, Adriana Adamy, Ainsleigh brown, Amber Hunter, Amelia Hurley, Andrew Colman, Ashley Haywood, Ashley Sinclair, Brittany Van Der Biezen, Brodie Heenan, Cassandra Nuttall, Chole Miles, Christian Kennedy, Christopher Earl, Clarissa Grant, Colin McInerney, Craig Cauchi, Damian Doust, Daniel Coup, Emily Jacobs, Emma Robinson, Emma Wittholz, Erin Emery, Harriet Lloyd, Ian McLennan, Irene Georgiadis, Jasmine Thompson, Jessica Clark, Jordan Brown, Joshua Nicolas, Karina Smith, Katherine Wilson, Kendall Reddacliff, Keryn Galloway, Kimberley Walker, Kristin Huddy, Kyle Thacker, Lisa Thomas, Lauren May-Kolovis, Lee Peters, Luke Baker, Luke Raven, Mark Smith, Mark Turner, Matthew James, Melanie Hockey, Natasha Clifton, Natasha Smith, Nathan Allen, Nathan Dutton, Nathan Fairbank, Neo Urizar, Patrick Egan, Reanna Gant, Rebecca Fernandes, Rebecca Prout, Rebecca Wilson, Rhys Munn, Rodrigo Barua, Samantha Cox, Samantha Gatt, Sasha Young, Scott Huddy, Scott Winter, Skye Bedding, Stacey Duthie, Steven Sin, Taleah Baldwin, Tarsam Singh, Thomas Hutton, Timothy Woolfe, Trent Martin, Tristan Eckhoff, Vicky Hilton

Kids & K9’s Club: Amie White with Bella. (Border Collie), Cameron Carter with Cindy (Australian Cattle Dog), Melissa Little with Joey (Australian kelpie), Nicole Little with Sparkey (Australian Kelpie), Rebecca Garrigan with Toga (Poodlex), Tegan Hadley with Beau (German Shepherd Dog), Wendy Ball with Amber (Cocker Spaniel)

The PPP Actors: Andrew Clasohm, Anthony Johnson, Dianne Balird, Greg Jarvis, Joe Clements, Rick Bawden, Simon Hanlin, Terri Cripps, Tracy Roberts

Moulden Park Primary: Allyce Wilson, Belinda Bee, Brett Norris, Bunnie Thong, Carli Alderick, Cassie Parker, Dwayne Berto, Dwayne Smith, Elise Viney, Hayley Edwards, Jade Alley, Jasmine Bishop, Jessica Sinclair, Justin Bading, Kelam Frank, Kristine Halfpenny, Lee Craven, Luke Bowler, Mikaela Jones, Nelson Martin, Rhys Aylett, Seam Maher, Stevie-Anne O'Brien, Tearna Pearce

1st Driver Scout Group: Andrew Fernandez, Ben Joyce, Billy Rowlings, Brett Harrison, Cody Gusling, Joshua Joyce, Justin Burgess, Kyle Wedmore, Terry Pennay

Corrugated Iron Youth Arts: Amy Lewis, Caltlyn McLaughlin, Ellen Magner, Hayden McLaughlin, Kailey Draper, Maegan Howden, Raighne Hearn-Renshaw

Top End Callisthenics: Amy Noble, Caria Hooper, Chloe Sutherland, Danielle Garrigan, Eloise Nicholson, Gemma Sutherland, Har Tiet Bell, Jacqueline Corrick, Katie Allan, Lani Butler-Renata, Megan Kenedy, Michelle Weigh, Nakita Dendle, Rebecca Race, Teena-Lea Harris

Northern Country Music Association: Beverley McShanag, Les Domotor, Lynda Domotor, Trevor Bower

Northern Territory University - Chung Do Taekwondo: Alana Blyton, Ashley Xavier, Brendan McGinnis, Chanalle Wingrave, Colin Van Eck, Garico Abellanosa, George Karauas, Jade Fitton, Lyn Van Eck, MyIes Hagan, Natana Wingrave, Nathan Crossland, Rita Fitton, Steve Blyton, Tellie Geranis

Filipino Maharlika Association: Aimee-Lyn Davis, Alice Baker, Danilo Esguera, Don Basilan, Edgan Javier, Emmeline Adams, Evelyn Adams, Freychel Taylor, Leilani Ballesteros, Mayette Vall, Nasto Ballesteros, Sue Erickson, Teresa Barker, Tita Allom

Palmerston Satellite City BMX Club: Aaron Alchin, Chad Franklin, Christopher Ellis, Damien Dickens, Deanna Coen, Dylan Landar, Emma Franklin, Kevin Mcinemey, Kristy Dickens, Kylie Dickens, Luke Beagley, Natasha Dickens, Nathan Dutton, Petina Beagey, Raymond Nauman, Reece Ellis

No. 2 Air Cadets Palmerston: CDTSGT P. Heysen – CDTCPL N. Crossley, CDTCPL J. Carter – CDTCPL C. Miller, LCDT P. Lander, LCDT B. Krohn, LCDT B. Reynolds, LCDT J. Spencer, LCDT J. Meakin, CDT J. Wyatt, CDT R. Jackson, CDT D. Jeffs, CDT M. Muir, CDT K. Miller, CDT M. Findlay, CDT R. Forrest, CDT P. Turner, CDT B. Beattie, CDT J. Mcinnes, CDT C. O'Brien,

Palmerston High School: Haylea Salter, Taryn Roberts

Mayor of Palmerston: Annette Burke

Palmerston Concert Band & Youth Ensemble: Flute: Sarah Neilsen, Adam Deussien, Chole Furness, Oboe: Alinta Orr, Clarinet: Sarah Bulasch, Jenny Young, Barbar Eather, Max Madden, Candice Duncan, Bass Clarinet: Marcia Nielsen, Alto Saxophone: Jessica Tulley, Sam Burke, Simon Bulasch, Julie Unwin, Ryan Oliver – Soprano Saxophone: Wayne McMahon, Tenor Saxophone: Wayne McMahon, Des Tangey, Trumpet: Daniel Waiter, Sion Griffith, French Horn: Lorelei Williamson Louisa Cowie, Trombone: Thomas Marshal, William Cowie, David Crossley -Baritone Saxophone: Luke Kent, Percussion: Nathan Coleman, Nicholas Everard-Shepley, Christine Williamson

Palmerston Gymnastics Club: Benjamin Sandow, Catherine Goode, Chris Gomez, Jacinda Michaela Sandow, Lorraine Meehan, Luke Zabell, Mark Gostyriski, Sarah Dawes

Scenario

• Tower workman
• The Tower
• Calling in the Sun - Palmerston Ballet School
• The Sunrise - Durack Primary School
• Dogs and Walkers - Kids and K9's Club
• The Adults - The PPP Actors
• The Kids - Moulden Park Primary School
• Fence Constructors - 1st Driver Scout Group
• Palmerston Characters - Corrugated Iron Youth Arts
• Household 1 - Top End Callisthenics
• Household 2 - Northern Country Music Association
• Household 3 - Northern Territory University - Chung Do Taekwondo
• Household 4 - Filipino Maharlika Association
• BMX Bike Riders - Palmerston Satellite City BMX Club
• The storm - No 2 Air Cadets Palmerston
• The Smoke - Palmerston High School
• The Creature - No 2 Air Cadets Palmerston
• The Mayor – Annette Burke

Tracks Dance 1999

Artistic Directors: David McMicken and Tim Newth
Administrator: Amanda Carlton

Inaugural Committee Members: David Taylor (Chair), Ken Conway (Vice-Chair) Chris Raynal (Treasurer), Rukshana Ramachandran (Secretary/Public Officer), Tania Lieman, Jackie Wurm, Kez Hall, Nick Papandonakis (Ordinary Committee Members), David McMicken and Tim Newth (Ex-Officio Members)